How Life Works
by mmca1231
Summary: Drama, humor, romance, friendship! The Twilight characters' lives spun differently, as told by Bella Swan. Bella happens to find her way to happiness through a road filled with angst and love, gaining a new family along the way. And it all starts with a car accident. That's how life works sometimes. BellaxEdward, AlicexJasper, RosaliexEmmett CHAPTER 4 AS OF 7/2/2017
1. Chapter 1

_beep._

 _beep._

 _beep._

An unwavering, constant _beep_ ing. A dull, persistent and ever-more-painful throbbing. The fucking brightest light poorly hidden behind the weak curtain of my eyelids.

Opened eyes. A too white ceiling. Brighter lights.

A black head of shaggy hair in a nearby bed shooting up.

I blinked once. Twice.

" _Finally_!" a piercing high-pitched voice chirped. "I've been stuck in this bed, all on my own, for _years_. Years! You sure took your sweet time."

I blinked again, trying to bring my eyes into focus. Who is this girl, and why is she talking to me as if we were friends? I was more than 100% sure I'd never met her, or even seen her, in my life. And why is she here? Where _is_ here?

I focused hard on the ceiling, trying to pick out patterns... colors... My vision rapidly grew sharper, as did the stupid, irritating throbbing on my temple.

"Hellooo? Sleeping Beauty? You are up, right? Because if you're doing some sleep-talking shit or whatever, just let me know now."

The girl's shrill voice faded into the background as I focused on my surroundings. Toes working, check. Ten fingers? I lifted my hands up to my eyesight, examining each minute detail I found. My fingernails were unnaturally clean, but there were ten of them, for sure. Hadn't I painted them before I left?

Before I left...

My mind was hit so suddenly with a blurry barrage of memories, colors, and feelings. Slipping Charlie's credit card out of his wallet, the slam of the door resounding loudly as I darted down the apartment stairwell. Panic. His face, his name. Urgency. Exhilaration. Fear? A crosswalk, a streak of silver, and a crash. Pain. The blackness of concrete combined with night, with sleep.

My eyes drifted in to focus on the white ceiling. The hospital ceiling.

"Oh my God..." I breathed, the pain in my head momentarily forgotten. I sat up as quickly as possible, only to find myself mere inches away from a pair of curious clear blue eyes.

The girl was perched carefully on the edge of my hospital bed. She was small, and very, very thin, with a petite sharp face and the same sharp air about her. She was quick, hyper, excited. Her eyes- those huge round eyes that could miss nothing and see so much, I could already tell- darted everywhere that was me, examining and taking in every little detail. Her hair was jet black and hung loosely about an inch shorter than her chin. She was intensely, mindbogglingly beautiful. Every part of her- her sharp little features, her night black hair, her milky white skin, and those _eyes-_ all of it was like different pieces from different puzzles fitting together to create a picture you could never have dreamed on your own yet was the prettiest picture you'd ever seen.

I fucking loathed it.

My immediate feelings of extreme distaste upon examining her made me forget, just for a second, my situation. All I knew at that moment was that this girl was everything I was not. Her unique, intriguing features contrasted sharply from my disgustingly plain ones: brown hair, brown eyes, light skin. I was average height and average weight. To put it shortly, I was unbelievably boring.

"Do I know you?" I spit out at the girl. I couldn't help it. She was so damn irritating, I wanted to get her out of my sight as soon as possible.

I needed to find Charlie.

Unluckily, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the girl looked unperturbed and simply smiled brightly at me. "Now you do. I'm Alice. I'm your hospital roomy!"

"Fuck off."

She smiled sweetly at me. She fucking gave me this honey-sweet smile that made me feel just a tiny twinge of remorse.

"So your name?" Alice pestered.

"None of your business."

The little pixie just cocked her head to the side, like she just didn't quite understand. Of course everyone must have been treating her like she was a little princess since she was born. She's probably never had anyone deny her like that before. I smiled slightly.

The silence stretched on, but she didn't budge from my bed. Still, she sat there, looking at me like she didn't quite understand. What was there to fucking understand? She needs to leave me alone.

As the seconds ticked by, I began to recall my predicament. Where was my father? How badly was I hurt? What happened to James? My annoyance, as well as my anxiety, grew. Alice needed to get up and leave me be now.

Instead of snapping at her as planned, my mouth acted of his own accord. "Where's Charlie?" I blurted out unintentionally. I wanted to slap a hand over my mouth as soon as I said it. This girl didn't know or need to know, anything about my life.

She smiled a full, beautiful, annoying smile at me. "Oh, your dad just left. He said something about a phone call he had to take. He'll be back in a few. And he'll be thrilled to see you awake." If possible, her smile grew even wider.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "How do you know he's my dad?"

Her expression turned slightly incredulous, like she couldn't believe I asked that. Like I was some sort of child or something. Please. "Well, let's see. He's constantly here, asking me how you've been and he's kissed you on the forehead, so... he's either your dad or your really old sugar daddy, and I kind of figured I couldn't go wrong either way. Besides, you looked a little too innocent to have a sugar daddy, but I mean, so far your looks have lied. You could have been a stripper for all I know."

I couldn't help the blush that crept into my cheeks. "Shut up," I snapped.

Alice's hand clapped over her mouth, eyes stretched in surprise. "Oh my God, you are, aren't you."

"No! No, I swear. I'm just- just shut up, okay?" I pointedly looked at the wall beside her, folding my arms over my chest in stubbornness.. Above anything else, I would not let her know how close to home her whole 'sugar daddy' spiel hit.

Again, I found silence overtaking us, but this time, both of us seemed to have fallen into deep thought. I was desperate to know what happened. I'd obviously gotten hit by a car- I remembered that part quite clearly. Terrifyingly clearly, in fact. But the real questions were still there. How did Charlie react? Did he know where I'd been going? Was he mad at me for leaving? Ah, he was probably furious- and still is. I just hoped he didn't know about James. I would really be dead if he found out about James.

My head began to throb even louder, conveniently reminding me of my injuries. Was it just my head? I began to flex my muscles again, lightly, one by one. My leg felt very, very heavy- I peeked under my blankets to find it wrapped in a cast. Awesome. What was the date? I really, really hoped I didn't miss James appointment; I don't even want to think what would happen if... ugh. And what was this girl doing here? Why wouldn't she leave? Against my will, my eyes drifted to her face, to find-surprise, surprise!-the excited, energetic expression she'd been wearing 100% of the time I'd seen her drifted into a dreary, lost one. She truly looked miserable, and I couldn't help but feel bad about how I'd treated her. Maybe there was something I could do or say to distract her...

"What's the date?" I blurted out once again, before I'd even had ample time to consider my distraction tactic. My mouth apparently fucking refused to listen to me today. Probably from all that time, who knows how much it was, of non-use.

"Nine days."

"What?"

"Nine days. You've been in here for nine days."

 _Because that's what I fucking asked_ , I thought, irritated that she knew what I really wanted to know. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"No problem." She still seemed a little out of it. Bored, I looked around the room. It was just a standard hospital room; little whiteboard with nurses' notes against the far wall, a curtain around the bed, white floor, white walls, white ceiling. I wondered if it would be rude to ask the next employee to walk in to pull the curtain around me for privacy. Every time I looked at Alice, she looked upset, and I felt like the world was waiting for me to comfort her. I felt like every moment I didn't, the world looked at me and said, _"Wow, you really are a bitch."_ I wanted to flip them all off.

How do I have friends?

I snorted to myself. I really didn't. By my own fault.

I glanced at Alice again. She got up and meandered back into her own bed.

Just then, a nurse dressed in light blue scrubs bustled in. She looked kindly enough, and when she saw that I was awake, her eyes even sparkled like they found another little reason to be happy, I found myself smiling back. _Fuck, why is that happening?_ I quickly forced it off my face and looked down.

"Hello, Bella! I'm Nurse Cope. I'm so glad to see you're up!" she informed me. I frowned. Normally, perky attitudes like this would drive me crazy, but she seemed genuine enough. "I'm just going to check your vitals for a moment. How do you feel?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Alice rustling around in a bag or something out of my view, on the other side of her bed, as I tried to answer the nurse. "I'm, um, pretty okay." Nurse Cope squinted at me. "No, like yeah, I mean, I don't feel in pain or anything. Just a little sore, maybe my leg."

The nurse nodded, still busily moving around me and tinkering with a bunch of machines. When she seemed just about finished, she turned to me once more. "Would you like some privacy?" the lady asked, one hand lingering on the curtain she was offering to pull around my bed. I deliberated for a moment. Come off more cold and hard than I already seemed, or offer an olive branch? Even if the olive branch just happened to be just not shunning the girl in the next bed.

I shook my head. "I think I'll be fine."

With a slight smile she called to Alice, "And you, Miss Brandon?"

Alice lifted her head from digging around out of my view to reveal a bright grin on her face. "Just peachy, Shelly!"

Shelly turned to head out the door with a wave, and I looked over at Alice Brandon. The girl sat there with a slight smirk, proudly displaying a box like she was Vanna White.

I did a double take when I saw the name on the box. She was not proposing to play me in fucking Connect Four.

She still had that shit-eating smile on her face. "Up for a game?"

I rolled my eyes, but I sensed it was pretty much an inevitability that I would give in. Something about Alice just told me that. "Why the fuck not," I sighed.

I met Alice when I was sixteen. Now, that day seems like forever ago. I was still... _interactin_ _g_ , for lack of a better term, with James. Two of the most important people in my life had still been with me. I was still a bratty, insecure bitch trying to find a way in a fucked up world alone. But Alice was the beginning of the best of it all. I'm not saying it was easy. It probably wasn't ever easy, for any of us. But now I'm happier than I ever have been, and it all began with a car accident.

Ain't it funny how life works sometimes?


	2. Chapter 2

Day two of having met Alice changed everything.

After our rocky start to our friendship was kind of soothed by a little board game and a lot of heated competition (I know, sounds like the opposite of soothing, right?), the both of us grew much more comfortable. I was surprised just how comfortable, however, when I woke up the next night- technically morning- to find the black haired little pixie bouncing _on top of me_ for a fucking tv special I just _had_ to watch.

"What the fuck!-" I shouted, flailing about to free myself from whatever was constricting me,.

"Oww! Quit that and sit up!"

The devil of a girl sat on top of me with both her legs splayed on one side and her hands persistently shaking my shoulders. I rubbed my elbow where it'd hit her- girl was _bony!_ \- and squinted through the darkness. "Alice, you have approximately two seconds to get off of me before you end up in the fucking ICU."

I heard a sniff of disgust. "Alright, drama queen, beat me up or whatever. I'm soo scared. Just sit up first!" she squeaked. I could tell she was smiling.

 _The fuck does this bitch think she is?_

"What fucking time is it?" My eyes sought out the wall clock that they had familiarized themselves with yesterday. Three in the fucking morning."Alice," I began menacingly, "can you tell time? That clock says it's three in the fucking morning. Do you know what that means? It means I've had four fucking hours of sleep. Four fucking hours, Alice! Get the hell off!"

"Someone's a potty mouth in the morning."

"This beats morning, Alice! It's so early this is the damn Paleozoic period! There are probably fucking dinosaurs walking around!"

I heard a slight chuckle from above me. "Alright, first of all, dinosaurs lived in the Mesozoic period, didn't you pay any attention in biology freshman year? Second, you might wanna extend your vocabulary. I'd stake my own life and my first-born's that I know your favorite word. And finally, sit up before I kick you!"

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SIT UP WHEN YOU'RE SITTING ON ME!" I screamed, probably waking nearly everyone in the damn ward. Whatever. If it's early enough for me, it's early enough for them.

My blankets, specifically where Alice was sitting, started shaking. I squinted to find her whole body completely _trembling_ with laughter. Her hand was clamped over her mouth, and her eyes were tightly shut. When I saw a little streak of water began to trace its path down her face, I began to giggle a little too. She was _crying_ in laughter. Something about that whole situation just started to tickle me, from being awake at three AM by an unlikely friend in the hospital, to her sitting on top of me shaking and crying from laughter after I just bellowed loud enough to wake up the whole building.

Suddenly, I couldn't handle it more. Laughter started escaping from me, and soon enough the two of us were rolling around on the bed, guffawing at each other. _Nothing_ seemed as fucking funny as it did that moment.

"Alright," I began through hiccups, trying to calm down. "Alright, alright... okay," I took a deep breath. "So what did you want to show me?" I questioned and looked at her as I sat up.

A bright grin split on her face as she shot up to join me, pointing at the twenty-year-old TV. "Look!" she exclaimed. " _Clueless_ is on!"

I glanced at the TV. She was right. Clueless was on. I turned to her, mouth slightly hanging open and disbelieving in my eyes. Then I slapped her with my good hand.

"You woke me up for fucking _Clueless?!"_

So, everything was pretty much changed by 3:30 AM on day two, actually. When I slumped back into my pillow to fall asleep (she promised she would let me as long as we could figure out a way to watch it in the morning), I realized I could never hate Alice anymore. She was too irritatingly unhate-able. Sure, she got on my nerves, probably like 99% of the time I was with her, but it was never not fun. And she needed a friend like me just how I needed one like her. Of that I was positive by afternoon that same day.

Nurse Cope had just hurried in to deliver our very own copy of _Clueless_ , something I knew Alice wouldn't let us forget. The friendly lady winked at me as she was walking out, while Alice busied herself with the DVD player. "You know," the nurse added in a conspiratorial whisper to me as Alice's back was turned, "Alice has been through the mill a couple times. She's pretty roughed up. I'm only telling you this because I haven't seen her this genuinely happy since you'd woke up, and I just thought you should know."

Then she flitted out, dropping me with that fucking bomb.

Alright, so basically Alice has had a rough life. I could deal with that, I understood that. I could be sympathetic, I could be empathetic. But I didn't know how to act sympathetic! Do I treat her like a piece of fine china? I didn't want to do anything to set her off...

I was mulling this over and had just decided I'd be much more careful with my new and apparently fragile friend (maybe that includes not slapping her... oops) when she turned around with a slight smile tugging at a corner of her mouth and a warning look in her eye. Her finger raised in admonishment, she uttered, "Don't," like she'd known what I'd been planning and was cautioning me against it. Or commanding me. Then she turned around, picked up the remote, tapped play, and plopped down on the hospital bed next to me.

That night was the first night I'd seen Charlie since the accident. After horsing around with Alice pretty much all day, she and I were playing a hospital-owned copy of _Monopoly_ on the little table in our room when he knocked, peeking his head around the door frame. And it hurt so badly when I saw him.

I got up as fast as possible and rushed into him, trying to give him my version of a bone-crushing hug with a wrapped-up left hand.

"Dad..." I muttered into his shirt. It stunk, and I pulled my nose out of it immediately. "Your shirt smells," I reprimanded with a laugh.

I wasn't crying! No, I swear.

Charlie and I had never been close. Never. In fact, I had just gotten used to calling him Dad in his presence in the last three months. He'd always been asking it from me, it's just that three months ago I had begun to feel guilty. Three months ago I had also started sneaking off to see James.

While I was hanging with Alice today, I pretty much shelved everything off to the side while we spent our time fooling around in the hospital room, messing with the employees, making fun of movies, or just plain talking. When I saw Charlie the guilt came back. Guilt for giving him the obvious stress lines and under eye circles he bore on his face, guilt for the week-and-a-half I'd left him to stumble around making his own dinners and spending all his time alone, guilt for _James_ , guilt for forgetting to call my fucking father, worry over his well being. But I was _not_ crying. What do you take me for, a pansy? Sixteen-year-olds do not cry when the simply _see_ their dads.

"Bells," he muttered quietly, wiping something wet off of my cheek while he searched my face thoroughly. And then our emotional reunion pretty much ended there. We broke apart awkwardly.

"Uh, hey Dad," I stammered, not looking at him. I smiled and gestured to Alice, sitting behind me as though she was taking everything in. "This is my friend, Alice."

He waved politely. "Hello, Alice. I'm Charlie Swan, Bella's dad."

 _Well no shit._

I sat down on the edge of my bed. "How are you?"

"I'm good, you?" Charlie responded, automatically. I cocked my head to the side, like, _"Really?"_ , and he flinched. "I really am doing fine, Bells. I miss you."

"I miss you too, Dad." Then it was my turn to flinch. I was up for a day and hadn't thought about him. That hurt to be aware of, and then to say, _"I miss you"_? Please, Bella. What is wrong with you.

We chatted for a moment, and I pulled Alice into the conversation. I felt bad to leave her sitting there, but honestly, she didn't look to awkward or uncomfortable. When Charlie started questioning her about her education, athletics, and family, I realized I didn'tt know shit about her, even though I felt like we'd been best friends for year.

Best friends? I don't do best friends. What the hell is happening to me?

"So, what school do you go to, Alice? Where ya from?"

"I'm actually from Mississippi. Biloxi, Mississippi. I go to Port Angeles now, though. I live downtown over there."

"Mississippi? Wow, that's pretty darn far. You have any siblings?"

She cringed. Not enough to be visibly noticeable to Charlie, though, but I could tell.

"Actually, I used to. Her name was Cynthia."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Alice quickly changed tack and the conversation grew much more fluid. How someone managed to have a fluid conversation with Charlie, I'll never know. But she was definitely working her charm on the guy. He loved her, I could already tell.

"Alright, Bells. I think I'm gonna get goin'. I wish I could stay, I really do. But I've got work in the morning, and Billy called me to..."

I tuned him out. It was fine, I didn't need him to stay. I felt bad enough already.

"Bye, Dad. Love you." I hopped up and walked over, giving him another hug, slightly less aggressive this time. My nose, though, wasn't smothered, and I managed to get a real whiff of his shirt.

Alcohol.

"Dad," I said abruptly, pulling back again. "You-" My eyes began to water. He didn't, he didn't. He fucking did.

Something in his eyes broke when I looked at him. He really, truly looked broken. Fucking shattered. "I'm so sorry, Bells," he whispered into my hair, hugging me tightly again. As if that could make this better. I could sense he was close to crying himself, and knew he was about to remove himself from the situation. I was shaking with fury and sadness and pure desolation, but still, he broke our hug. "I gotta go. Goodnight, Bells. Goodnight, Alice!"

He waved and hurried out of the room.

I sat back down on my bed, and Alice was by my side in an instant. She didn't say anything. I was grateful. But it didn't make it hurt any less. What the fuck have I done?

I buried my head in my hands and let out one short sob.

The hospital kept me for another three days, and Alice longer than that. I didn't know how much longer. She wouldn't say. The girl could talk for hours on so many things, but other times, she just clamped her mouth shut and wouldn't budge. Well, she kinda just got quiet, but same thing.

I'd seen Charlie twice since that second day, but we hadn't talked about it yet. We hadn't talked about much at all, actually. But it was nice to be with him, I won't lie. But I felt perfectly at home with Alice. Almost more so than with least there wasn't any guilt with Alice.

I did feel awful about leaving though. As far as I could tell, she was all alone. She did, really, seem to be struggling with a lot of things. She'd often get this quiet look on her face and drift off, like she did the first day I met her. But what did I know? She wouldn't tell me shit.

Forks hospital had arranged for me to leave on the sixth of May. That morning, I woke up, and Alice cried. I promised to visit her. She still cried. I told her to suck it the fuck up, she'd probably see me tomorrow anyways. She sucked it up and laughed.

"Bye Bellarina!"

"No."

"Silver Bells?"

"No!"

"Bellaboo."

"Who do you think I am?"

"Belly!"

"That's not even clever!"

She burst out laughing, and I rolled my eyes and strolled towards the door. I was going to be walking home; Charlie was fishing for the day and there wasn't a car here. I didn't really plan for this little trip (obviously), so I would be wearing Alice's clothes on the way to my house. She found it hilarious. They were a little small.

"Hey, hey Bella! Is there a flood?" she giggled, in a reference to my too-short skinny jeans.

"I'm gonna flood you!" I retorted. It didn't make sense, but to be honest, I really didn't give a shit. "See ya later Alicegator!" I laughed stupidly as I walked about out the door.

All in all, it was a pretty uneventful walk home. That is, until I reached the crosswalk at 7th and G street. I know. The streets in my town were named after the letters in the fucking alphabet. Fucking Forks. **(A/N: No joke, they really are. Google map it!)**

As I stood by the traffic light waiting for the little electronic person to appear and signal that I could walk, these a couple of guys walked by behind me. And by guys, I mean fucking parasites. Like, they weren't bad in looks or anything. I mean, they weren't _too_ bad. One was actually pretty hot. But it was strange, because in a town as small as Forks is, you know everyone. I'd never met nor seen any of these three guys before. It was clear they'd never met me, either, because they started wolf-whistling at me. And you don't whistle at the police chief's daughter.

"Hey, baby!" the attractive one called. "Are those space pants? Because that ass is out of control!"

What the _fuck_.

He did just fucking not.

Damn Alice and her too tight jeans.

They started heading towards me.

"What's your name, sweetie?"

I ignored them, and began hurriedly walking across the street before I was tempted to turn around and fucking slug them, or start throwing shit. Of fucking course they followed, a couple paces behind.

"Hey, baby, I'll tell you mine, so you can call it out when we're-"

"Baby, where you been?" It was a different voice this time, from a different direction. "Are these men bothering you?"

I looked up to find a behemoth of a man standing on the sidewalk I was walking to with the silliest fucking shit-eating grin on his face. He quirked an eyebrow and winked at me.

 _The fuck?_

"Sorry, I don't-"

"Hey, man," the pig from behind me said casually, but with a tense undertone. He and his cronies started walking faster, and the four of us reached the sidewalk at the same time.

"Where do you think you're going?" the giant asked. "You were just fuckin' with my lady, and you think you're going to just walk away?"

"Hey, it was a mistake, okay? Look, I didn't know-"

"Damn right you didn't. Next time I catch you messing him her, or with any lady, I swear to anything in this world I will fucking kill you faster than you can say, _'Hey, it was a mistake, okay?'_ " the man mimicked.

With that the three little slimebugs scurried away, nodding and apologizing and tripping over their own feet. The mammoth slung his arm around me. I shoved it off faster than you could see and took two steps back, facing the guy.

"Hey, there is no Jack and I am not a fucking beanstalk, so keep your giant paws off me."

Stupid line? Whatever.

To my great surprise, the man started bellowing in laughter. It was impossibly deep.

"I'm Emmett," he announced, "and no, I'm not trying to pull a pick up line on you or any of that dumb shit. I do find you hilarious, though."

"Glad to know," I grumbled, folding my arms over my chest.

While I stood there glowering, I took the time to examine the giant before me. He was fucking hot, I realized. Like, seriously. It wasn't just that, though. He was pretty damn beautiful, in a strange way. It was like his normal attractive features sparkled or some shit. Emmett stood about 6'6" with short cropped black hair and goldish hazel eyes, as was musclier that the fucking Rock. Like, for fucking real.

He smirked. "So, you need a ride home?"

"I'm good, thanks," I said shortly, beginning to walk.

"You're walking."

"Yes."

Emmett quickly jogged to catch up with me. "I'll come with."

"Um, sorry, but I have a max of one person in this little personal bubble- you hear the word personal?- yeah, this personal bubble I've got going here."

He laughed that deep laugh again. "Hey, I'm not going to hit on you. By the way, if I were, I'd say something like-," he feigned deep thought for a moment. "Like 'I hear you're looking for a stud. I've got the STD, I just need you."

I stopped abruptly to face him. That was the wrong thing to do, because the way his face looked, like he was holding in laughter, and that joke-

I burst out laughing. That was so perfectly random, and just the pure stupidity of it-

I grinned. This guy didn't mean any harm.

"Hey, Emmett, I'm Bella," I laughed, offering a hand for him to shake.

He looked completely dumbstruck. "What- how... That line usually makes girls go from all over me to slapping me!" He shook his head with a shocked smile. "You just did the exact opposite."

"Hey, I never was all over you! And I haven't slapped you...yet."

We laughed as we continued strolling, and before I could do anything about it, I realized I'd let the guy walk me to my house. When the fuck did that happen? Shit.

Also before I could stop it, I realized I'd enjoyed it. Double shit.

Bella Swan does not make friends! What the hell is going on here?

 **Alright, that was a rough chapter. Halfway through I felt pretty good but then 7pm turned to 930 and I didn't even know what I was writing... Too late now! Hope you all enjoy this! Hey, drop a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I didn't forget about this story, I swear! Finals just ended on the seventh and I was too busy to even imagine writing a chapter of HLW at the time, but I promised myself I'd start regular updates when school ended... so, here you go!**

Emmett made me call him before he dropped me off, effectively giving both him my number and me his. I tried to pretend like I wasn't okay with it, but, honestly...

It made me smile inside. Like, a lot.

After that little performance I got from Emmett when those creepy guys were following us, I knew I could truly, truly trust him. The way he had defended me, and women in general, was kinda of jaw-dropping, and more than kind of hot. Attractive, I mean. Or alluring, I don't know. Whatever it was, it made me really agreeable towards him. So yeah, I gave him my number.

What really surprised me was when he called me the next day.

I was visiting Alice at the hospital as I had promised, and she was just lecturing me on the importance of matching your foundation shade with the season (it was obvious she hadn't been in Forks too long... it had one season: fucking rainy as hell) when my phone rang. The sudden buzzing had taken both of us by surprise, as neither Alice nor I had had any sort of interaction with the outside world, other than Charlie, when we were at the hospital. In a way, it brought the two of us together, and as much as I pretended to reluctantly endure all of Alice's little quirks, I kind of really enjoyed the time the hospital gave us. So yeah, that phone call shook us up a little bit. Just for a moment.

Alice snatching the vibrating phone from the little bedside table, and I didn't move to take it back from her. I peered over her shoulder at the unrecognizable numbers that popped up on my screen, probably looking as confused as I felt. Area code was not local. She turned to me, curiosity etched on her face. "Who's calling?" she asked, and I thought hard as to who it could be. Wrong number caller, maybe? If it was, it would be much more likely that the call would be coming from Forks rather than a random province. Who did I know that would be calling me?...

Understanding must have dawned on my face at that point because Alice grabbed my hand. "Spill." I suddenly realized I hadn't informed her of yesterday's strange events, and decided now was a better time than never.

"Well, I was walking home yesterday and I ran into this guy- these guys, actually," I glanced at the still ringing phone, knowing I didn't have much time till the call ended. Maybe that was best. "So these guys- well, pigs- starting hitting on me, with these really fucking cringey pickup lines, and this other guy pretended to be my boyfriend and told them off." Alice's eyes lit up. "He was kinda cool, I guess, but- wait! Don't you _dare_ answer that phone call!"

Too late. I hadn't even finished the story when her finger swiped across the screen to save the call, probably when it was at the brink of ending.

"Aliiiice," I groaned, letting my head hit the back of my seat. I could kill this girl right now. I hadn't planned on Emmett to call so soon, if at all, and I certainly hadn't fucking planned on answering.

She winked at me, the phone pressed against her ear. "Hello?" her little voice rang out. I folded my arms across, forced to be content with listening to one side of a phone call.

"Nope! She's here though if you want to talk to her."

"Alice Brandon. I'm her old roommate."

"Oh no, that's actually perfect. I'm sure she won't mind."

"Yeah?" At this, she began twirling a piece of her hair around her finger in concentration, a measuring look upon her face. "That actually sounds good."

"Yeah, that actually sounds like a good thing. Really."

Then, she smirked at me. "I know, it is obvious. That's kinda just her right now."

"I don't really know. Yet." What the hell were they talking about?

"Okay, so! Half an hour. Sounds good."

"Hospital food court! Einstein's Bagels! Don't be late!"

"Bye." She put the phone down with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Alice..." I nearly growled. "What the fuck did you just do."

She rolled her eyes and hopped out of the bed. "Hey, don't you dare give me those scary eyes. Relax, it'll be fine. You're going to enjoy yourself, actually. I just know it."

"Alice!" I half-sighed, half-whined.

"Food court! Half an hour!" she shouted back at me while stalking off towards the bathroom. Probably to get ready. I just groaned and flopped down onto her bed.

Alice means well. She really does.

And she probably knows me well enough already to know that I needed this 'outing' a little bit, probably enough to know that I wouldn't go anywhere for a while without being forced. I'll admit I was feeling a little anti-social, a little down, but with Charlie, and with James, didn't I have a little bit of a right?

Whatever. It doesn't matter.

Alice filled me in on a little bit of her phone conversation while we rode the elevator down to the food court. "Emmett sounds really cool. He told me to make sure you knew that this was just a friendly thing, he didn't want you- or me, for that matter- to feel pressured he said. Like, honestly, he was like, "This isn't a date, tell Bella that! Tell her so she knows. This is just a hang out thing."

Blinking, I pondered that. I was a little taken aback. I mean, it felt like he was walking on eggshells around me, already. I didn't really like that feeling, like he felt like I'd snap at him if it was anything _other_ than just a hang out thing, but I could appreciate the gesture.

"Wow, that's... really nice of him, I guess. Hey, what else did you guys talk about? What did he ask you, that you said you didn't know?"

She ignored me in the form of linking our hands and dragging us out of the elevator. "C'mon, this will be fun! Let's go!" she squeaked.

Little hyperactive devil child.

We saw Emmett from about a mile away. Anyone could, really. He stood in the middle of the room, scratching his hair and looking a little uncomfortable. He turned and spotted us, then smiled a big goofy grin. I hated how lovable the guy seemed. Ugh.

Emmett sauntered over to us and swept me into a hug. "Bella!" he exclaimed. He turned to Alice and grinned that grin again. He held out a hand to shake. "Hey, I'm Emmett!"

She smiled and placed her hand in his. "Alice."

For a second, I saw the scene with an outsider's eye and almost burst into laughter. Tiny, dainty Alice next to behemoth Emmett, with her hand clasped in his. Her head reached to the middle of his chest. He towered over her and could probably crush her into one hand. "Oh, man..." I giggled. The two looked at me bemusedly, before Alice rolled her eyes and linked my arm with her left, Emmett standing tall on her right. We walked towards Einstein's. It felt oddly right, in an uncomfortable, awkward first meeting sort of way.

"So can I ask why the hospital?" Emmett questioned in a friendly sort of way. I noticed his eyes were still kind of dancing around the court, examining this and that, not seeming particularly focused.

I turned to Alice. Ball was in her court. I didn't want to fuck this up if she didn't want Emmett to know.

"Well, Belltastic was visiting me in here because I'm pretty much trapped here, ya know. Hence the hospital setting."

"Belltastic! I like that," Emmett announced suddenly, face lighting up. I threw a scowl over to him, around Alice, and she smacked me lightly on the head.

"Behave, children."

Emmett pouted, which was (unsurprisingly) a comical expression on him. There were few things he could do without making me laugh a bit. "Children? I didn't do anything, that was all her. I _swear_."

"Alright. Behave, Bella."

I rolled my eyes and blushed a little, but grinned, and stalked off towards Einstein's. Pivoting on my heel to reassure the two were following, I saw the scene as it happened. Like, in slow motion.

A tiny girl, no older than five, in a pink babydoll dress. Long beautiful blonde hair falling down her back, which was visible because she was facing away from us. Towards elevator doors. A balding man with a vice grip on her right arm, which was stretched around her. The doors opening. Him, almost dragging her inside. Him, with his left hand over her mouth.

I gasped, and I screamed, and I pointed.

Crazy how crazy things happen in the craziest places.

At my alarm, Emmett and Alice turned too, and soon the events were on display to the whole food court. But Emmett was at the forefront, realizing the situation for what it was and wasting no time in acting. His beautiful features were drawn in rage as he crossed the distance to the elevator in what seemed like three steps and ripped the man's grip off of the girl before dragging him out of the elevator, the girl still in the man's tow.

It was like a fucking movie.

Emmett, pushing the man against the wall. The girl collapsing in tears. Security rushing in from somewhere. A crying mother. I was the only one standing in the doorway of Einstein's, surveying the scene, and then I wasn't. A crowd gathering. Emmett talking to security guards, handcuffs, a hug between Emmett and the mom. Alice turning slowly towards me, a head slightly cocked to the side being the only indication of her complete disorientation. And then I walk up to meet Alice, and then the the guards leave, and the staff leaves, and Emmett's walking back to us with a bashful look upon his face.

All in the matter of five minutes.

Sometimes you feel like you're getting stuff down, you're figuring it out, you're deciding you're A-okay with where everything's going, and then life says _You thought!_ and you get thrown for a loop and your perspective's all different and it's like what the fuck just happened and you just have to sit back for a minute and just reassess everything that just happened. That's where I found myself when I saw Emmett walking back to us, scratching the back of his head, looking at his feet, looking like he got caught by his mom for doing something wrong.

"Are you really looking bashful right now?"

I snap my head up at Alice's voice to find that she's right. Emmett stood before us with an extremely awkward expression on his face. Alice looked taken aback.

"Em, that was crazy! Like, you totally deserve a prize, or something. Let me buy you your food. Or something! You deserve it, big guy."

Still, Emmett was quiet, sheepish. Alice stepped forward and tugged on his arm to pull him, but it was tantamount to a mosquito on a hippopotamus. A very persistent mosquito. "Hey, Emmett, are you alright?" Al asked with another tug.

But he grinned. "Yeah, that was just- I dunno. I didn't mean to play the part of the hero, or anything, you know? That whole thing, with that guy, just really got to me." He smiled at Alice, then me, and when he looked unresponsive, he pouted. "What?"

Alice shook her head a little bit, smiling- "Alright, if you're sure!"- and then she bounded off into the shop, this time successfully pulling Emmett with her, but I was still a little bewildered. Frankly, it scared me, how nice and honest and just how much of a good guy Emmett seemed. It scared me a lot, and so I was a little more reserved from that point on. Nobody could really be _that_ genuinely good, could they? Especially a guy as handsome as Emmett, with his obvious athletic ability and surely high social status. He was eighteen, I'd learned on the little walk we'd took when I met him. Shouldn't he be out partying with the jocks and taking advantage of what he was given, not hanging out in a hospital with two girls, younger and friendless except for each other? It just seemed off... Why would someone like Emmett be content to hang out with us?

Unsettled, I followed them into Einstein's.

And so the next few weeks began.

I didn't see Emmett at all in those weeks, but I visited Alice often. Coincidently, it just happened to be whenever she was not with Emmett, which was surprisingly frequent as well. The two seemed to be forging a close friendship. I acted like I didn't care.

"I just don't understand why you're making it your mission to _not be around him_!" Alice exclaimed, throwing her head back and flailing her arms in exasperation one night while we were hanging out in her room at the hospital, about a week. "Like, Emmett's with me and you suddenly can't come. Even when you don't have work, you _can't come_. But then he can't hang out, and all of a sudden, Bella's free! We've already established he didn't say or do a thing to you, so I don't get what the hell your problem is!"

I blushed a little. I was avoiding him. "Look, Al, it's got nothing to do with you, I swear. Can't we just drop it?"

"No!" she stomped. "I'm either hanging out with one of my best friends or the other, but never both together and I just don't understand it. I know you guys would get along really well. Why are you ruining this?"

I sighed and ran a hand down my face. "I don't know, Al. Maybe next time. We'll see, I guess." But next time was already starting to look like a probably-not. I didn't want to be hurt by him, I didn't want to get close and have him ditch us for the jocks by the time the school year started, I didn't feel like I could trust him by the way he seemed so open and trustworthy. Contradictory, maybe. A necessary precaution? Sure seemed it.

But Alice and I bonded over that time anyways. I finally breached the topic of her hospital stay, something I had avoided for fear of sensitive material she may not want to relive. She was willing to share it, though.

Probably about ten days after we'd met (or after I'd woken up, technically), which was the fifth of June, as I'd been hit by the car on May seventeenth and was comatose for nine days, Al and I sat sprawled about over her two small hospital bed, me messing with a Rubix cube we'd randomly found in the halls and her flipping through the channels. I let out a groan;.

"Alllll," I whined childishly. "I wanna go out, I feel fucking trapped in here."

"You're not the one stuck in here, Bella, you can go out and walk around," Alice responded. She sounded uncharacteristically sullen and I glanced up, alarmed. Seeing nothing more than her normal bright expression replaced by a glower, I glanced back down at the toy in my hands before deciding I would try. Try to find out what's got her stuck in this place.

"Hey, Alice," I began, sitting up. The cautionary tone I had used caused her to move her gaze from the television to my face and drop the remote. I suppose she sensed that whatever I was going to say was going to start a discussion.

I cleared my throat. "So, anyways," I started again, still hesitant, "I was just wondering, what, you know, got you in this place in the first place. And how much longer you think you'll be in here. If it's a sensitive topic, that's fine, I get it. It's just I know a little bit about your family life and all that, I know you're seventeen, I know you're not from here, but that's all of it. What are you really doing here? What happened. I get if you don't want to talk. I feel like I know _who_ you are, though, and that's what's important, but-"

She stopped me with a light laugh and a hand. I was rambling. I blushed. "It's okay, Bell, I got it. It's fine. So yeah, I'm from Biloxi Mississippi. Not Forks, duh. I never met my mom and my dad remarried when I was little. I guess I didn't fit in to his whole new life plan, though, with his new wife, so he dropped me off at an orphanage one day and I never saw him again." Her bitter tone surprised me a little, and her eyes were hard. "So I stayed at that orphanage in Biloxi til I was twelve. It was fine, I guess. I made a few friends. But I was afraid. I knew none of it was permanent. So I was twelve when I was adopted, finally, by a couple who were intent on hitting the open names were Bree and Fred Tanner. I remember them pretty clearly, but I try not to."

She swallowed painfully. "We travelled for a little bit, long enough to get from Mississippi to Washington, and they abandoned me in Seattle, on the street."

I gasped. Alice smiled at me grimly, strained, and kept going.

"It was December, right around Christmastime, and I don't know what was on their agenda next but I wasn't included. Like with my dad. Anyways, I just remember they were being really nice, nicer than usual, at that point, and it was freaking me out. Fred took me to ToysRUs somewhere along the way and bought me this Christmassy teddy bear with a huge red bow. I remember thinking it was a nice gesture but I was a little too old. Then Bree told me to keep it forever, to remember them, and I was confused and panicking inwardly. Then we went to a little cafe to have a drink and they told me to wait outside while they got the truck. I don't know why they did it like that, why they were so roundabout. They could've just dropped me off at an orphanage instead, but I ended up there eventually when I realized they weren't coming back.

"So I was turned over to the orphanage, and I had anxiety. I had abandonment issues, I was bullied a little. Quil Ateara and Embry Call, these two stupid brutes, made fun of me every day. The orphanage turned me over to the hospital in Seattle when I started... getting anorexic. I'd bounce between there and the orphanage, but nobody wanted Quil and Embry, either, and they weren't leaving or helping my situation, so eventually the people at the orphanage figured it'd be better and cheaper if I stayed here indefinitely until my situation figured itself out.

"I was fine once I got out of that place, which was about four months ago. Really, I've recovered now. It's just I have no where to go. So to answer your question, I'm stuck here til I'm eighteen. It sucks but it's life."

I gaped at her. I was looking at a totally different version of Alice than the one I knew. This version- this downtrodden, depressed, gloomy version- looked so broken it hurt to look at. Broken but accepting she wasn't going to be fixed again. It really, really hurt.

"Al, I don't know what to say..." I muttered quietly, crawling over to her on the bed. 'I'm sorry' wasn't enough, but it was all I had. "I'm so, so sorry," I whispered as I enveloped her in a hug. She and I were still for a moment, til I interrupted. "Wait, hold on, I thought you had a sister?" I said, pulling back. She cringed slightly, and I cursed myself inside. "You don't have to say if you don't want to," I reminder her gently.

"No, it's fine... Cynthia," she stated, her eyes closed. "My sister's name was Cynthia. Technically, she's my half-sister, the daughter of my father and that witch he married, but... I did love her, so much, and she needed me. I'd sneak out, sometimes, when I was still in Biloxi, at the orphanage, but it was dangerous. I-" her voice broke, wide eyes shimmering. She gathered herself with a deep breath before continuing in a rush of words. "I never got to say goodbye. She probably thinks I'm dead."

A tear leaked out of her once more closed eye, and my heart just about broke right there. Once again I wrapped her in a hug and held her tight. "Hey, it's fine, Al, you're really fine now. You've got me. We're friends, forever."

She smiled weakly, looking wan under the poor hospital light. "And Em."

I rolled my eyes, smiling indulgently. "Yeah. You've got Em."

" _We_ 've got Em."

"Sure, Al, whatever you say."

She opened her eyes and looked at me fiercely, suddenly. "I mean it, Bella. I don't care what you say, or what you've got against the poor guy, but you two _will_ be friends or so help me," she cracked a smile, "you'll both get it."

I laughed, and she laughed, and the nurse came in and told us to quit laughing and we laughed some more. And nine turned ten and Charlie texted me and I had work in the morning, and I had to go. I'd go, but I would never leave that girl for the world. Anyone who did, or had, could fight me.

Apparently I couldn't avoid Emmett forever, no matter how hard I tried.

I knew the guy lived in the area because he happened to be walking in it the night we met, and nobody would be walking in an area like Forks if they didn't already live there. I didn't know why or how he'd come to live there, as he was obviously new to the little town, but I didn't care too much to find out. I was kind of terrified of confronting the guy, or rather, him confronting me, and I knew that was likelier than not if he happened to see me.

That's why when I saw Emmett walking into Newton's, the little diner where I worked even before the accident, I ducked behind the counter and refused to get up.

Minutes earlier I had waved Mike out the door insisting that I could successfully close up shop, that no one would probably come in during the last half hour anyways, that he was free to leave. Really, I just wanted to be alone and void of the guy who I always noticed doting on me. He was sweet, sure, but just a little too sweet on me sometimes. I wasn't interested.

Anyways, I saw that familiar and very tall head of black hair walk in alone and I knew just what the hell was going on. Why else would a guy come to _this_ diner _alone_ fifteen minutes before we were due to close? So yes, I swallowed my pride and hid.

Crouching behind the sales counter and holding my breath, I listened as the bell jingled, signaling the door opening, and heard Emmett's heavy footsteps as he walked in. The door shut behind him and his footsteps stopped.

"Hello?" an echoey call rang out in his deep lumbering voice.

Another pause. "Hello? Annnybody?"

Again, his footsteps, only now louder and faster. And then his face peering down at me from where I hid, the tiny beginnings of a smile showing.

"Oh, hello," he greeted me, now with a full grin.

I squinted my eyes. "Alice sent you," I stated. Not a question.

He backed up and laughed a big booming laugh that was only louder within the confines of the empty restaurant. I blushed and stood up, dusting off my uniform. "Can't a guy just get some service at his local restaurant? Why does he have to have an ulterior motive of some sort?" Emmett grinned at me.

"You're full of it," I told him, glaring up. "What do you want?"

"Alright, Belly." He leaned down and folded his arms on the counter, so now I was the one standing above him. "Let's have it. Why are you avoiding me like the plague?" he asked me, a false blasé tone coating his voice.

At this, I blushed desperately, grasping for any excuse I could get. I looked at his feet. "Who said I was avoiding you?"

His hand reached out and grasped my chin, pointing my face to look at his, which was adorned with an incredulous expression. "Bellarina, don't lie to me," he jokingly warned.

I stared at him a moment, incapable of looking away regardless of his hand's grip on my chin. I was guilty, and I felt it. The poor guy didn't deserve this. He just wanted to be friends with me, for some odd reason. "Alright," I admitted, dropping my head as he dropped his hand. "I'm sorry."

Glancing up, I could tell he looked a little perplexed. "So you were," he mused, but I could tell her was slightly hurt. "Why? What did I do?"

I laughed tightly and shook my head. "You didn't do anything _wrong_ , that's the thing. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why you would want to be friends with us! You're eighteen and I'm hardly sixteen, Al's stuck in the hospital, why us, of all the people?" But he still looked confused. "I don't know, I just figured if you were typical you'd be out drinking with the jocks, hitting on girls, all that. I was scared of trusting you. I'm really, really sorry."

Emmett's face no longer looked confused or even slightly amused. He looked hurt and a little angry. Really hurt. "Well... I guess..." He straightened up, turning away for a moment. I take that back- he looked more than a little angry, when he faced me again. "Maybe you shouldn't judge a guy from the first time you see him. Maybe he doesn't deserved to be punished for something he never did, for just who he _seems_ he should be."

I was stunned. My avoiding his friendship was a punishment? I suppose in some form, it was, but... I felt really, really fucking bad now.

"Emmett, I'm so sorry..." I hurried around the counter to find him, and I grabbed his arm. He didn't budge. Mosquito on a hippopotamus. "Emmett, I'm really, really, _really_ sorry. I know this isn't an excuse, but I was scared." I didn't know Emmett would be so upset by my stating why I truly had been dodging him; I would never have dared if I knew this was the result. "I just didn't want to be shunned, eventually... I shouldn't have judged you so fast. I know I'm a coward."

He smiled at me. "I forgive you."

"What?" I stepped back, mouth open. "But- I was a bitch! I didn't even- What?"

"Yeah," he assured me, "I get it, I guess. I don't like it, but I can't stay mad. I'm a big softie, I guess." He smiled again with this last part, and it nearly broke my heart.

"No! No, you're not allowed to do that. Call me a coward, or something. I feel really, really bad."

Emmett laughed a big, booming laugh again. "Okay. You're a coward. Just a little."

Relaxing, I laughed too. I've laughed a lot more with the people I've met in the last two weeks than with anyone in this past couple years. "Thanks."

"No problemo."

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"What's up, shortie?"

"We've got an ice cream machine in the back," I informed him with a wave of my hand to the kitchen. "Why don't we just hang out here and talk a bit? Then maybe I won't be so scared of you," I smirked, joking.

"Sounds like a plan! Let me just text Alice and let her know it worked," he said, winking at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever." Wandering into the back, I took a minute for myself. I was really, really happy, and I only hoped it would last a while. Bella Swan hasn't done happy in a long time. Bella Swan kinda liked it.

Talking about myself in the third person. Bella Swan needs ice cream.

"We've only got soft serve, by the way!" I called to Emmett. "Chocolate or vanilla?"


	4. Chapter 4

So the summer went by.

Alice was right, as normal; the incomplete duo of her and Emmett morphed into a trio with my presence and the three of us became inseparable. Throughout the precious and seemingly fleeting months of June, July, and August, we had more fun than any of us had ever had before. And it was the simplest things, too; going out to the diner and gorging on dessert, watching a movie at home, or even just hanging out it the hospital room, doing absolutely nothing. That could get stifling at times, though; though both Emmett and I were excited for Alice to get out on her eighteenth birthday (which would be the first of September- she missed about a year of school and therefore would be taking her junior year at age eighteen), none of us were as excited as she. The plan was for her to live with me for two years, that is, if I could get Charlie to agree. I hadn't asked him yet, and I was aware it was a tall order. But I had faith, and if not me, where else would she go?

The first time we discussed it kind of put a perspective on everything for all of us. It was early into the month of July and we were passing the day at La Push, a beach that was a short drive from Forks. While we were skipping around the tidal pools (well, Alice really did the skipping, and Emmett was flirting harmlessly with a cute Quileute girl on the beach), we were talking about the future. We knew Alice's release date was soon and Emmett would be off to Seattle University in the fall, but it apparently failed to occur to me that Alice would be essentially homeless.

"I love doing nothing with you guys," I said, closing my eyes and basking in the setting sunlight. "I wish it could be this way forever."

Alice was unusually silent so I squeezed one eye open and glanced at her. "Al?"

Her skipping and jumping had stopped, and she stood balancing precariously on a pointy rock above a particularly life-filled tidal pool. She was staring at it, seemingly caught up in her own thoughts. She would get that way sometimes, and it was normally up to either Emmett or I to pull her out of it by distracting her with something fun. But a realization had just struck me and I decided to broach the dangerous subject at that moment.

"Alice," I began slowly, swishing my toes around in the chill water that they rested in. "You- did you know- I mean, where are you going to go in the fall? I haven't really thought about this yet... You won't-"

She stopped me with a slight and unemotional smile. It looked strange on her happy features. "Have a home. Right. Well, the orphanage talked to me and they said I would have a stipend to go with- very small. I'm probably going have to work full time. I won't be able to go to finish high school."

 _What?_ I sat up, horrified. This would be Alice's junior year, though she would be eighteen before it started; she took a year off because of health related issues. "Alice- you have to finish high school! That's ridiculous! How come you haven't said anything before? You can stay with me, I'm sure Charlie wouldn't mind."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, he might, just slightly, but he- he _knows_ you, and if he understood the situation, I doubt he could say no. And he's hardly home, anyways."

Things were getting better with Charlie. It was rare that I would come home to find him drunk and passed out. If he was home at all by the time I was, he would be watching the TV, hiding his disinterest. He was unhappy. I hated it, and I resented him for his unhappiness that made me feel as if it was my fault. My fault he couldn't drink, my fault he _wanted_ to drink. He couldn't drink, but he did it anyways. I knew, although he tried to hide it.

Emmett came tromping back to us then, a huge grin on his face until he noted our somber and introspective expressions. "Who died?" he asked, probably in an attempt to lift the mood.

"We're just talking about the fall," Alice explained quickly.

"Speaking of, Em, I can't believe you're leaving us. I'm going to miss you so much! You just got here, you can't leave already... It doesn't feel right," I spoke my thoughts aloud, foregoing whatever embarrassment would come in an attempt to relieve these feelings. I looked down to avoid his face only to find myself being crushed and lifted off the ground.

"I love you Bellarina! Of course I'll be back! You two are my family!"

I couldn't choke out a word in response, but Alice filled in the gap for me. "Don't go replacing us with any stupid frat boy friends, will you?" she joked, but I was surprised to find her voice sounded a little teary.

Emmett was a sensitive guy. I don't know if something had happened in his past to make him that way- I didn't want to ask- but he absolutely loathed boys that played with girls emotions, stupid jocks. That was where I had gone wrong when I had met him, assuming he was another one of those people. He looked the type, and he was certainly jocky enough. But he was friends with us because he wanted to become friends with us, because we seemed sincere, and because he knew the type of guys his age around here and did not want to associate himself with them. So I doubted he would drop us when he familiarized himself with college, but still, it was a possibility, however far-fetched.

"Can't- breathe-," I managed through a gulp of air, and he set me gently down before turning to Alice.

"Aw, c'mon Al, you know me. And you two are irreplaceable," he said with a wink. He _was_ gorgeous, and flirting came easily to him. However much he hated guys that recklessly used girls, you could never say he wasn't equipped for it.

Emmett's big heart never failed to amaze me. Irreplaceable.

We set off for the beach as the sun had just set as Emmett began humming 'All-Star' to himself while he twirled Alice with one hand. I smiled gently, sadly. Gently because I loved my friends so much and I couldn't believe I had them. Sadly because I wished things would never change, and wishes like that were useless. Life didn't care what you wanted. Life would do as it pleased.

But I had a chance to keep my best friend out of harm's way and with me for a whole two years if Charlie would say yes. I'd decided I would ask him that night.

* * *

I got home at about 8 pm, to be on the safe side. Emmett and Alice wanted to come in with me, but I had told them no. I knew Charlie would react better if the subject of the matter weren't present, and I wanted to protect Alice from hearing any harsh words that might come out of Charlie's mouth. One way or another I'd get him to say yes, but it was probably good to assumed he'd be a _little_ shocked. I mean, it was like asking him to take in another daughter, after all.

Walking in and tugging my boots off, I glanced around for a hint of Charlie's whereabouts. I knew he was home from the police cruiser in the driveway, but there was another car I didn't recognize. Which is saying something in a small town like Forks.

"Hello?" I called. I heard a faint sound of shuffling and muted voices coming from the living room and hung my coat on the rack as I headed over. "Charlie?"

"Right over here, Bells. Sue and I were just having a cup of coffee."

I narrowed my eyes when as I approached. Charlie _never_ drinks coffee.

I poked my head around the corner. "Hey, uh, Sue..."

A short, raven haired woman looked up at me, a quick smile gracing her lips. "Clearwater," she filled in awkwardly before looking down and straightening her clothes, gathering any belongings of hers. Avoiding looking at me... A light red tint dusted her olive skin as she looked up once more, this time at Charlie. "Well, I have to get going, I think... Before Seth can wreck the house too badly," she tightly joked.

"I'll walk you out," Charlie offered gruffly, and I didn't fail to miss Charlie's hand which hovered over the small of her back as Sue led the way to the front door. I plopped down on the couch and groaned, kicking my feet up. I definitely had more than a couple scratches and cuts from today's adventures. My body ached.

I heard the sounds of the front door opening and closing as well as a few muttered words. I tried not to listen too hard, and I probably couldn't tell what they were if I was asked. I wasn't quite sure that was a bad thing. I didn't know if I really wanted to know.

"Hey, Bells. You alright? You're usually upstairs by the this time," Charlie remarked, walking into the room and casually (or not so much) changing the subject.

"Who was that?" I asked innocently.

He looked away, running a couple fingers through his mustache. He does that sometimes, when he's embarrassed. Maybe it channeled out the energy that would have subsequently been used for the blush that runs in the Swan family. "Sue. I said that, didn't I?"

"Yeah, I was just wondering. I've never seen her before."

"No, probably not," he said, hand still combing mustache. "She lives on the reservation."

"By La Push."

"That's the one."

"Hm," I said. And after a moment's silence, I spoke again. "Is she nice?"

"Huh?" Charlie asked. His attention had wandered, or he had been consumed in his own thoughts. He probably thought I had dropped the subject.

"Sue," I clarified. "Is she nice?"

"Yeah, she's pretty nice. What's it to you?"

I sighed. Conversations of ours went this way without fail. Either our words and sentences would taper off into an agreeable yet restless silence, or one of the two of us would get on the defensive, especially if they were sensitive of the subject matter. I wouldn't let the former happen tonight, so the signs were pointing towards the latter.

"I was just wondering. And you never drink coffee."

He turned to me, mustache quivering, absent of it's hand. He was about to begin another sentence when-

"Charlie."

"Dad," he corrected.

"Sorry," I apologized quickly, but continued speaking. "Dad. I have a really big favor to ask you, and it's actually a huge deal. I don't know if you're going to like it too much, but _please_ be open-minded about it. It means a lot, and it matters a lot, and I'd just love it if you were-"

"Quit with the build up, Bella, get on with it."

I took a deep breath before beginning cautiously."Alright, so, you know Alice stays at the hospital. Well, she's actually is in a really tough situation right now. She's been through a lot, and she had- _had_ , not anymore- a small health issue when she was a little younger. Before that, she stayed in the orphanage. Eventually the orphanage and the hospital worked something out where Alice would stay at the hospital 'til she was eighteen because they thought it'd be healthier for her than the orphanage. But when she's eighteen, she has no where to go."

Charlie's bushy eyebrows raised at this skeptically, but he showed no interruption.

"She's talked with people about it, whoever's in charge, and all that, and she _is_ getting a stipend of some sort to start off with. But she's kinda at a dead end. See, she's going into junior year like me 'cause she's old for her grade anyways and she missed a year due to health issues. In her mind, the plan is to drop out of high school, get a job, and support herself out of her own bank account. The thing is, that doesn't lead to any sort of career, any sort of life. She's gunna struggle if she doesn't get some kind of help."

"And you're suggesting I take her in when she's eighteen and raise her under my roof," he finished.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, excited I had gotten so far without any immediate protests. "It's not like you'll be her legal guardian or anything, responsible for her in any way 'cause she'll be eighteen, she just needs a place to sleep and eat. I'm her best friend and she trusts me, and I don't want to see her wasting opportunities. We can graduate together, and she can check out scholarships and such, or go to a community college, and build a life, instead of being thrown into the gutter because of unfortunate circumstances! Dad, we can help her, and she can sleep in the basement, and she'll be no trouble, at all, and-"

"Slow down, Bella!" the man exclaimed, tossing his head back in frustration. "Look, yes, I know this means a lot to you, I get it. But you're asking me to raise another person, to take someone under my _roof_ for two whole years! I mean, it's a lot to ask, Bells."

"I know, I'm just glad you're considering."

He narrowed his eyebrows at me. "Nobody said that."

"Nobody said you weren't, either." I really should stop with the smart talk.

Charlie stared at me for a moment, then sighed again. "When _exactly_ does she turn eighteen," he stated more than asked, quite bluntly.

"September first."

Charlie bit his lip (another trait I had inherited from him), contemplating. "Bella..." he began slowly.

I glanced up, hopeful.

"She said she'll get a job, Dad! Like at the diner with me, or somewhere else. She said she'll pay for her own meals, she does not in any way want to impose on you or this family. She said you won't have to worry about anything." Alice had not, in fact, said any of this. Alice didn't even know I was asking. She hadn't exactly okayed it, but I knew she'd be more than okay if Charlie agreed. And I knew she'd suggest her getting a job and paying for her own meals herself, so I didn't have any qualms with my statements.

Another deep sigh from him. _Please_ , I prayed. _Please, please..._ "Fine." I looked up into his eyes that so mirrored my own in shock.

"Are you serious?" I shrieked.

"Yes. But only because I like Alice, really, and that's an awful situation to be in. I trust her and I trust you, and if what you're saying is true, I don't see why I'd have an issue with another person hanging here."

"Oh my gosh, Dad..." I muttered, and tackled him in a hug before I could help it. He looked surprised at my show of affection, to say the least, I noted as I released him. But he gave me a slightly strained smile and mumbled something about "not a problem" and "have to make up the basement". I couldn't stop my smile from spreading ear to ear, and dashed to the stairs so I could call Alice.

"Thank you, Dad!" I yelled as I darted upstairs, skipping every other step.

And when I got to my room, I made sure to hold the phone away from myself after telling Alice the news so my ears wouldn't be _permanently_ damaged by her squeal of surprise and above all, delight.

But it's okay because I matched her emotions; I'd have my best friend with me for the next two years.

At _least._

* * *

Emmett and Alice knew there were certain nights when I couldn't hang out. They chalked it up to work, and then they figured out I was hiding something when they showed up at the diner on a night when i was 'working'.

I was feeling especially disgusted with myself about James that night, and extremely ashamed I couldn't even tell Alice and Emmett. If I couldn't tell them, who could I tell? And there I found my answer. No one.

Not even my best friends.

So I donned my gray sweatshirt, flipped the hood up, and grabbed my cell phone just in case and walked out the door without complaint. I had gotten myself into this. I had wanted it. I didn't have the power to complain now.

The walk that night seemed short and unremarkable, and as I crossed the street where I had gotten hit I didn't even stop to think about the accident. I just had so many thoughts whirling around in my head that there wasn't any room to spare.

I climbed the rusty old metal steps of his seedy apartment building absolutely bathing in self-disgust. I hated myself. It was my fault. I knocked twice on his door. No one would want me after this arrangement was over- why would they? I'm unclean. I'm dirty, I'm disgusting, I'm cheap, old, nasty-

The door creaked open. "Bella," James murmured, whisking me inside.

I absolutely loathed myself.

My phone was left with my coat on the doorway's floor, leaving its silenced buzzing to be heard by no one's ears.

* * *

I walked towards my house with my hood on once again, going unnoticed by the car parked across the street.

Surveilling.

I sighed and walked up to it. Of course they would find a way to find _me_ , without telling Charlie. Of course I had to tell them they could go home and sleep now, as it was nearing one in the morning. Of course they would go berserk when they saw me.

Yeah, of course I had to lie to them.

Or at least not give them the whole truth.

I rapped two knuckles on the window before shoving my hand into my hoodie's pocket. It was chilly tonight, even in July. A dozing Alice in the driver's seat sat up with a start. Emmett was still snoozing away beside her.

"Bella!" she whispered/screamed, placing a hand over what I assumed was a frantically beating heart. She quickly started the idle car and rolled the window down. "Bella, where the _hell_ were you? I swear to G-"

"Out," I said calmly, unflinchingly. "I was out."

"You _said_ you were working. We went to your work. No dice. They said you never even worked Thursdays! You can never hang out on Thursdays."

"I never said I was working." I didn't. The first time I had told her I wouldn't be available that night, she asked me in an understanding but disappointed tone, 'Work?' I had replied, 'Something like that.'

Alice sighed through clenched teeth and scrunched her face like she did when she was upset. "Bella, we called you more than a dozen times. Why are you making me drag this out of you? I'm your best friend- _we're_ your best friends! What are you hiding!?"

"I'm not hiding anything," I retorted hotly. "Maybe it's just none of your business. I'm fine, alright?"

She opened and closed her mouth and then stared at me blankly. I didn't blink. She didn't either.

"Wow, Bella. Great. You're such a great friend. Fuck you." She turned quickly to face the road without giving me another glance and sped off. Alice never swore like that. I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes for a moment. _I'm a terrible person._ Yup. Then I turned and walked inside, didn't even look into the living room as I knew Charlie would be passed out on the couch after another uneventful night with the TV, headed to my room, and collapsed on my bed.

* * *

It was about a week after that until Alice and I spoke again.

Emmett, being asleep during the whole confrontation (however short it was), didn't choose sides. He probably wouldn't have chosen sides anyways, had he been awake. But as it was, he remained painfully neutral, and painfully trying to get us to speak to each other again. Or rather, her to me.

"Bella," he tried again as we lounged in my room together. I knew he was trying again because he never called me _just_ Bella. Not unless he was serious, anyways. "Just apologize! I hate being the middleman between the two of you. I'll run away," he threatened with a joking yet warning look in his eye. It was strained, though.

I almost smiled. "I would if that would work, Em, but it's not that that she wants. She _hates_ not knowing things."

He sighed hopelessly and muffled his face back into my pillow. Pouting. He wouldn't dare try to ask me where I was for fear of starting another fight.

I sighed hopelessly, too.

So for the first time in a while I spent that night at home without my friends, as Emmett went to spend time with Alice for the evening. Like a child between separated parents.

Charlie was at the bar.

I was alone.

It was raining, again. I was so tired of the rain. It was okay when I was with Emmett, running around outside, or Alice, cuddled in blankets watching movies, but I hadn't seen my best friend in a week. One week too long.

And it wasn't just rain tonight. It was rain and thunder and lighting, and it was the kind of rain that rattles your windows and pounds your roof, the kind where you know it's not stopping anytime soon.

 _tap tap tap_

I sat up, startled out of my daze of lonesomeness and distress. Someone was knocking on the door. If it was Charlie, he would knock once and shuffle in, taking off his coat as he went. Emmett would probably bang loudly in the familiar tune of "Shave and a Haircut", or something similar. Alice would probably just stroll right in using the key under the eaves. If we were talking.

With no idea of who would be at the door, I tiptoed over apprehensively.

My trembling fingers unlocked the door, and I swung it open.

Before me knelt a girl.

Long, matted, soaked blonde hair surrounded a face streaked with dirt. The picture of beauty. Clear, intimidating blue eyes contrasted sharply with skin pale enough to complement her hair but not too pale as to make her appear washed out. A perfectly sized roman nose, impeccably shaped eyebrows, two full, pink, and faultlessly proportioned lips. An obvious but subtle figure woman dreamed of and men lusted for.

But I couldn't come to hate her immediately as I had Alice.

Not when she was so clearly broken-down before me.

"Please," a throaty voice begged, her brazen blue eyes staring up at me. "I need someplace to sleep."

And I gaped down at her for just a moment before stepping aside to let her in.

* * *

The pause was short-lived before she finally responded to my harmless question. "Rosalie," she said simply.

I nodded, glancing about. "I'm Bella. Was- is there anything else you need?"

When the girl asked her request, there wasn't anything I could do but let her in. I let her shower, and just minutes later, here she sat at my kitchen table, wearing a pair of my pants and a shirt and covered in thick afghan, sipping cautiously from a bowl of tomato soup I prepared. "This is more than enough," she responded quietly. "Thank you."

I prayed Charlie wouldn't walk in the door. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew that wouldn't be good. "No problem. You can sleep in the basement, I think. There's a bed down there."

She nodded again. "Thank you so much." She hadn't so much as smiled yet.

I bit my lip and looked around once more. I probably looked like I was fidgeting nervously. "I'll go get you some stuff."

While hurrying up the stairs, I quickly fumbled with my phone, dragging it out of my sweatpants pocket and dialing Emmett as fast as possible. _Please respond, please respond, please respond..._ Voicemail. Fucking dammit.

I called Alice next, with slight hesitation. She had to respond. I had no idea what I was doing.

Eventually, on the sixth ring, bingo. "Hello?" her musical voice chirped through the phone.

"Alice! Help me. You and Emmett- come here. Like, now." I glanced at the clock. It was ten thirty. If Charlie wasn't home by now, he would probably be out all night at the bar, or at least until the wee hours in the morning. "This girl- just showed up on my doorstep," I whispered frantically. "In the rain, covered in dirt and soaked to the bone, asking for a place to sleep. I have _no_ idea what I'm doing. I let her in-"

"Wait, Bella, slow down. Girl shows up, homeless, you let her in... Did you let her shower? Food, water? Are you going to let her stay there?"

"It's not like I'm going to kick her out!"

"Of course not. Is Charlie going to be home tonight?"

"Probably not. Not till early, at least."

"Okay. Call him, make sure. Find out what you can about this girl and make sure you're not in danger, okay? Em and I are on our way."

Dial tone. She hung up, and I dialed Charlie.

"Bells?" an unsteady, overly loud voice answered. There was a buzzing of voices in the background.

"Dad?"

No response. A large _clack_ sound, and continued loud voices. It sounded like he dropped the phone.

"Dad, are you coming home tonight?"

Laughter in the background. "Bells?"

"Will you be home tonight, Dad," I stated plainly, feeling irritated, frustrated, and helpless.

"No, no Bells. I'm sorry. Me and- Ow! Quit it- me and a couple of the boys stayed out, Bells. Bella, I think I'm going to stay in a hotel in Port- where are we? Yeah, Port Angeles. I don't wanna drive right now, Bells."

I sighed in relief, coupled with disappointment and sadness. Charlie was lost, partying like he was a kid again. He always said my name a lot when he was drunk.

"Okay."

"Okay. I gotta- Hey!" Louder voices. Laughter. Dial tone.

Another sigh. I pocketed my phone and grabbed a couple random sheets out of the linen closet before heading downstairs.

"Rosalie?" I called. She was standing in the living room, watching the news. I felt extremely insecure when I truly took in how perfect she was. Insecure and insignificant.

She looked at me, startled to hear someone calling her name, before she relaxed. "Bella," she half-smiled.

"Okay, so-," I stopped. I didn't know what I was doing. Why not just say that? "Alright. I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm pretty sure you- as in me- are not supposed to just let any random stranger into your house when you're alone, but it's too late for that, and I was going to let you in anyways. So. I hope you don't kill me or anything while you're here," I cringed slightly when I said that. "A couple of my friends are coming over. Just two. And my dad won't be home tonight. But- can you tell me what you're doing here? Like- who the hell are you? Sorry."

She smiled again, slightly. Or maybe it was a grimace. Yeah, definitely a grimace. "My name is Rosalie Hale. Can we sit down?"

I blinked at her strange request. "Um, sure."

Instead of the living room, I led her down the stairs to the basement where she would be sleeping. I tossed the pile of blankets I had gotten onto the old bed down there and sat down on the couch across from it, motioning for her to join me. She sat on the bed.

She looked at me for a long moment, her crystal blue eyes emotionless. I gestured for her to start.

"I'm Rosalie Hale. I can't believe I told you that, because I haven't told anyone my real name in- I don't even know how long. But no, I'm not going to kill you," she smiled that faint, weak smile again, "and I won't steal from you. I'm only telling you this story because you've been so- accepting. And I have to tell someone. Really, it's not that complicated a tale."

I smiled in an indication for her to go on. She did.

"I was born in the Clearlake, California. My father was a bad man, and my mother was his submissive other half. I'm convinced she had no brain of her own. She hadn't had a single thought for herself in all the time I'd known her. But my family. I'd had two older brothers, the only girl in a family of drug lords and money launderers. We were rich in some form of the word, I suppose. I didn't care.

"My father also ran a prostituting business on the side. He was as misogynistic as misogynistic gets. He beat my mother, and I didn't matter much to him either. So when I turned twelve, he advertised me as a prostitute." I clapped a hand over my mouth, silently gasping in horror. She smiled grimly. "So at thirteen I ran away. I didn't know who I was, what I would do. I knew the bad parts of the world and that was all I was familiar with, so I hitchhiked my way down to Los Angeles and told them my name was Leah Clearwater. I ran into Royce King Senior one day on the streets and he took me back to his strip club, Kings, and I got a job. I was only thirteen.

"I stayed there till I was fifteen. I ran away when the boss's son, Royce King II, proposed to me. I had no idea who the hell I was. I tried to leave as fast as I could, terrified they'd find and kill me, or at least rape me. It wasn't so farfetched where I was. But," she smiled grimly, "I was too late. The night I was leaving, he raped me and hit me for not answering him. Then he took me to the alley outside the place and left me, probably embarrassed for me to be found. I was bleeding; I was a virgin, and he had abused me in the act." I didn't want to hear this anymore. Where Alice's story was heartbreaking, this was disgusting, vile, _horrifying_. I didn't want to listen, but she spoke on. "I changed my name again, to Lauren Mallory, and hiked north this time, towards Vegas.

"I didn't stay there long before I grew sick of the terrible people that would plagued wherever I went. I found a plane ticket on the floor of an airport over there, as improbable as it sounds. I didn't have my money; it was left in my room back in Los Angeles. So when I found this ticket to a place as innocent sounding as Olympia, I jumped at the chance to get the hell out of there. I was trying to hitchhike my way to Seattle, but I ended up near here. I don't know where we are at this point, even right now, but it was pouring, and I hadn't eaten in days, and your house had your lights on without a car in the drive, so I knocked and here I am.

"So there you have it. I'm sorry for inconveniencing you. I can leave in the morning, or now if you want. I just needed to regroup, or something like that. I've been out on my own for so long. I swear I'd never hurt you, or anything like that I'm not crazy, just unlucky, I guess."

Her words were said with such somber, depressing finality that I couldn't quite compute what she was saying. She was giving up, it seemed, I shook my head slightly, stunned into incoherence. "No, uh, you-" I began to say, disputing her claims of inconveniencing, but was interrupted by a banging on the door.

 _Shave- and- a- hair-cut-, two- bits-!_ I smiled and rolled my eyes. "Be right back," I informed her and darted up the stairs. The door was opening already with Alice letting herself in, followed by Emmett's bearish form. He shook himself like a dog in the rain, then grinned at me and tossed me a wink.

I grinned back, but my attentions were elsewhere. "Alice!" I exclaimed, rushing over to the little pixie and enveloping her in a hug. She hugged me back just as earnestly. I had hoped that our quarrel would fade with these new events, and I'm guessing I was right.

"So where's the damsel in distress?" Emmett questioned aloud, looking about. When he checked the cupboards, I stared open-mouthed at Alice, and mouthed _"Crazy!"_ She grinned and nodded, then latched onto my arm and dragged me down the stairs. I didn't get a chance to ask how she knew Rosalie would be down there by the time Alice had grabbed Rosalie and hugged her. "Hi!"

Rosalie smiled politely, detaching herself. She looked quite out of her element.. "Oh...Hello," she replied.

"My name's Alice. Alice Brandon!" Alice declared as Emmett's large footsteps made his way down my creaky basement stairs known.

"Rosalie Hale," the tall blonde said shortly but not rudely in response while giving me a subtle glance. Her clear blue eyes were wide and her mouth hanging slightly open, a facial expression I'd seen often on those who first meet Mary Alice Brandon. She can be quite a... ball of energy sometimes, to put it kindly.

Emmett burst into the room then, striding forward without even checking for the visitor. "Bellaroon, you really need to make a trip to the store soon. The whole pack of Oreos is gone, and it was full yesterday," he informed me gravely. His hunt from earlier had obviously been forgotten in lieu of more pressing matters.

I resisted rolling my eyes but allowed myself a small, indulging smile. "That's 'cause you ate them, Em."

"Beeella," Alice sang out. "Beeella!"

"Yes, Alice."

"I looove you."

"I love you too, Alice."

"Thanks, I know."

 _Twit._ Another hard to resist eyeroll. I couldn't help feeling awful for my guest, and turned to her apologetically to see if there was anything I could get her. I knew she was probably uncomfortable.

So imagine my surprise when I found Emmett's gaze drawn to her face with an indescribable look. Rosalie's was more perplexing in reason, but not nature. She looked at him calculatingly, analyzing. No. She looked at him like you look at someone you're trying to place somewhere.

And then Emmett's look became describable when I turned my attention back to him. Lust.

"You're- you're," the man stuttered out.

"Who are you?!" Rosalie demanded suddenly, shocking all the people in the room, including her, apparently. "Sorry," she apologized quickly, but looked back to Emmett. "But who- who are you?" The gaze again. Trying with a fierce determination to place someone. Failure.

"Emmett McCarty, atcha service!" Emmett bellowed proudly, a silly grin on his face. The amusing part is even through his silly, would-be-turnoff antics, most women would throw themselves at the guy as he was. Most, though. Rosalie wasn't moved.

"Do you know anyone from Vegas?" she interrogated, solid blue eyes frantically searching his own for a clue. She was rewarded with the curious face of an innocent man.

"Can't say I do, really... I would if I could, though, if it would help you out. Really, I'll think, really hard! But this is me thinking really hard. But I'll think harder, I promise!" You could imagine the next words out of his mouth being, "Don't hurt me!" and the situation wouldn't look any less realistic.

Rosalie, after another long stare, reluctantly pulled her eyes aware from his face to meet mine. "Sorry, but I'm really tired," she said to me apologetically. She looked it, and I did feel bad, so I didn't take any offense. "Do you mind if-"

I smiled. "Don't worry. C'mon, Dumb and Dumber, up. Leave her alone, Em." For his unwillingness to leave was apparent in his puppy-dog eyes. "She'll be here in the morning. Let's go, you guys can crash on the couch. D'you want a light on, Rosalie?"

"Whatever you want, Bella."

I gave her another warm smile. "I'll leave it on, then. Just in case Charlie comes home during the night." He wouldn't. It didn't matter.

"Thank you so much...You really have no idea how much this means to me," she said sincerely as the others tromped upstairs, both unusually quiet. "I hope I can make it up to you someday."

"Really, Rosalie, don't worry about it. I have no issue. Good night," I bid her, following the two up and giving her one last glance.

"You can call me Rose!" she called when she was out of sight. I smiled and turned the lock on the front door.

"K, Rose! Night!"

"Bella," Alice said suddenly, appearing right in front of me as I turned around.

"Jeez, Alice! You scared the fuck out of me." I placed a steady hand over my racing heart. She ignored me.

"Bella, if you hadn't let her in tonight... I don't know, I just had a bad feeling."

I frowned. "What does that mean? I let her in, so?"

"Well, exactly." Her blue eyes, somewhat cloudier and bigger than Rosalie's, whose resembled a sparkling shallow lake, looked at me earnestly. So earnestly. "And now I have a good feeling."

A corner of my mouth turned up in an incredulous smile as I grabbed a couple shabby pillows for the couch. "K."

But Alice didn't relent. "Bella, I'm serious. If you hadn't let her in... Well, I don't know, exactly. But a lot of good things are going to happen since you did."

"You're creeping me out, Al."

She scowled at me before stalking off towards Emmett, who sat watching TV in the living room but didn't appear to really be seeing it. A slight frown marred his features. "Whatever, Bell. I'm just glad you let her in."

A frown crept onto my face. _What else would I have done?_


End file.
